Screw-hoist clutch



July 7, 1925. 1,544,876

A. A. AMSTUTZ SCEW HoIsT CLUTCH Filed Aug. l1. 1922 2 sheets-sheet 1 jflm Z0 l I 2/ i f 3 W I .g E f l g l f July 7, 1925, i 1,544,876

A. A. AMsTUTz SCREW HoIsT CLUTCH Filed Aug. 1l.,v 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AMI/Mig @Hoz new.

Patented July 7, 19275.

UNITED STATES 1,544,876 kPATENT OFFICE.

AMOS A. AMSTUTZ, BLUFFTON, OHIO.

scREW-HoIsT CLUTCH.

Application filed August 111, 1922.`1Seria11 N'o. 581,180.

To all 'whom t may concer/n.' v Y Be it known that I, AMos A. AMsTU'rz, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Bluffton, iii the lcounty of Allen and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Screw-Hoist Clutch, of which the following is a specification.

This invention aims to provide a simple means whereby, at the will of an operator, a winding drum may be operated through the instrumentality of a worm, or otherwise. It is within the province of the disclosure to improve .generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the invention appertains. `v

lith theabove and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the' details of construction hereinafter described shown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings :f- Figure 1 shows in elevation, a device constructed inaccordance with the invention; VFigure-2 .isV an elevation showing a part of the releasing means; Figure 3 isa longitudinal section wherein parts appear in elevation; Figure -1 is a transverse section showing a part of the releasing means; Figure .5 is a fragmental vertical section disclosinga part of the releasing means; Figure 6 is a perspective -view showing the member for operating the tongue; Figure 7 is an elevation wherein the device is viewed at right angles to the showing of Figure 1.

The numeral 1y y'marks an inverted U- shaped frame comprising arms 2 and 3. A suspension means 4 is assembled with the top of the frame 1. A shaft 5 is mounted in the lower ends of the arms 2 and 3 and has a reduced' end 6 defining a shoulder 7.

A drum 8 is journaled on the reduced end of the shaft 5 and is held against sliding movement, longitudinally of the shaft, by the shoulder 7 and the arm 3 of the frame '1. In its outer face, the drum 8 is supplied with a recess 9 wherein is located a coil spring 10, one end of the spring being secured to the drum and the other end of the spring being anchored in any suitable way with respect to the frame 1. A flexible element 11, such as a chain, is secured at 1.2

to the periphery of the drum 8 and extends about the drum. The flexible element 11 is adapted to carry a weight which is to be lifted. The drum 8 has an linwardly*projecting flange 14 provided with teeth 15.

A rotatable element 16, which may be a worm Wheel having peripheral teeth 17, is journaled on the shaft 5 and has movement on the shaft longitudinally of the shaft. The rotatable element 16 has an inwardly projecting flange 18 provided with teeth 19 adapted'to cooperate with vthe teeth 15 on the drum 8, the teeth 19 and 15 constituting a clutch connection between the rotatable member 16 and the drum 8. The peripheral teeth 17 of the rotatable element orworm wheel 15 mesh with a .worm 20 carried by a shaft 21 journaled in a bearing 22 extended between thearms 2 and 3 of the frame 1. and in an' offset bearing bracket 23 projecting'inwardly from the arm 2 of the frame 1.

ATheworm 20 is located between the bearing 22 and the bracket 23 and, thus, longitudinal ferential groove 27 in ywhich fits the lower end of a spring tongue 28 secured at its upper end to the arm 2 of theframe 1 and extending downwardly in diverging relation with respect to the said arm. The tongue 28 has a projection 29 slidable lin the 'arm 2 of the frame 1 and provided with ay linger 30 located externally of the arm 2 and disposed parallelthereto. Y

In practical operation, when the clutch teeth 19 and 15 are iiiterengaged, as shown in Figure 3, rotation imparted to the shaft 21 will be transmitted to the worm 20, the worm cooperating with the worm wheel 17-16 and rotating the worm wheel, motion being transmitted to the drum 8, and the flexible element being reeled thereon, since the drum is connected opera-tively to t-lie rotatable member 16 through the instruwheel 16 being carried to the right, and the teeth 19 of the worm wheel being detached from the teeth 15 of the drum 8. Thereupon, the drum may be worked independently of the worm wheel. The purpose of the spiral spring 10 is tol offset the weight of the chain or flexible element 11 when the drum 8 is operated independently of the worm wheel 16, the spring V10 reacting to take `up the flexible element 11 and to wind the same on the drum 8. The construction of the device is such that the drum 8 may be detached from the lworm wheel 16, thereby permitting a rapid rotation of the drum under any desired conditions.

Any vpreferred means may be employed for swinging the spring tongue 28 to the right in `Figure 3. If desired, but not of necessity, a shaft 31 may be journaled in the arm 2 of the frame 1, the shaft being provided at its outer end with a transverse head 32,whereunto depending flexible elements 33 are attached. The shaft 31 carries an arm 34 provided with a wedge-shaped head 35. `Then one of :the flexible elements 33 is pulled upon, the head 35 enters between the finger 30 of the projection 29Vand the arm 2, thereby moving the projection 29 outwardly, carrying with it the spring tongue 28. Then the other of the flexible elements 33 is drawn upon, thev wedge-shaped head 35 retiresfrom between the linger 30 and thc arm 2, the tongue 28 returning, due to its resiliency, to the position shown in Figure 3, the rotatable element 16 being carried inwvarclly to engage with the drum 8.

Whatv is claimed 1. In a device of the class'described, an inverted U-shaped frame comprising side arms, a shaft carried `by the sidey arms, -a wheel journaled on the shaft, a rotatable member journaled on the shaft, the wheel and the rotatable member having cooperating clutch elements, and the rotatable member being movable longitudinally of the shaft, the rotatable 4member having a circumferential groove, a spring tongue secured at one end to one side arm of the frame, the opposite end of the tongue being received 1n the groove, the tongue constituting means for moving the rotatable member longitudinally of the shaft, thereby to cause the clutch elements to interengage, a projection on the tongue and slidable in said one arm, the projection being provided with a finger located externally of said arm and disposed vabout parallel thereto, a shaft journaled in said arm, a wedge-shaped member carried by the lastspe'cified shaft and adapted to enter between the finger and said arm, va cross piece secured intermediate its ends to the last-specified shaft, and depending operating members connected to the ends of the cross-piece.

2. In a device of the class described, an inverted U-shapedframe comprising side arms, a shaft carried by the side arms, a wheel journaled on the shaft, a rotatable memberjournaled on the shaft, the wheel and the rotatable member having cooperating clutch elements, and the rotatable member being movable longitudinally of the shaft, the rotatable member having a circumferential groove, a spring tongue secured at one end to one side arm of the'frame, the opposite end of the tongue being received in the groove, thetongue constituting means for moving the rotatable member longitudinally of the shaft, thereby to cause the clutch elements to interengage, a projection on the tongue and slidable in said onearm, the projection being provided with a linger located externally of said arm and disposed about parallel thereto, and means mounted on the frame and under the control of an operator for disengaging said clutchl elements, said means comprising a part adapted to enter between the finger and said arm of the frame.

In testimony that Il claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

AMOS A. AMSTUTZ.

fitnesses HARVEY VVINKLER, LEVI FANKHAUSER. 

